Scrubbing apparatus.



A. W. FIETZ.

SGRUBBING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR, 9, 1912.

Patented Sept. 17,1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

SCRUBBING APPARATUS.

messes.

Specifieation of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 17,1912.

Application filed March 9, 1912. Serial No. 682,635.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, AnoLn W. FIn'rz, residing at Martins Ferry, in the county of Belmont and State of Ohio, have invented a new and Improved Scrubbing Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention, which relates to scouring and cleaning means, is more particularly designed for use in dyeing and cleaning establishments, and it primarily has for its object to provide a scouring or cleansing appliance which includes an improved arrangement of power operated brushes and means for constantly feeding the scouring solution thereto during the operation of brushing and cleaning.

With other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, this invention, in its generic nature, embodies a carrier, a brush reciprocably-mounted on the carrier and an improved means for feeding the scouring solution to the brushes.

In its more complete nature, this invention embodies, in connection with the brushing, the fluid feeding and the carrier devices, hand controlled mechanism for throwing out 0f operation the brush driving and the fluid feeding means.

In its more subordinate feature, this in; vention consists in certain details of construction and novel arrangementof'parts, all of which will be hereinafter fully explained, specifically pointed out in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1, is a perspective View that illustrates my invention as applied for use. Fig. 2, is a vertical-longitudinal section thereof, the parts being'at their normal or inoperating position. Fig. 3, is a plan view thereof, the top member of the carrier being removed. Fig. 4, is avertical cross section thereof taken on the line 4.4 on Fig. 3.

' Fig. 5, is anenlarged detail section of the combined powfer shaft clutch and liquid feed cut off, the supplemental handle memher being depressed,- the fluid controlling, valve open and the aforesaid clutch posi tioned for imparting motion'to brushes operating gears. Fig. 6, is a detail cross secg tion taken on the line 6-6 on Fig. 5, the clutch devices being shown disengaged.

My invention while useful for various purposes is more especially adapted for use in dyeing and cleaning establishments, and

while it is hand manipulated, so far as holding the same to the work and controlling the motion of the cleaner brushes and the scouring fluid feed, the brushes or cleaning devices are power-driven by means of a flexible drive in the manner clearly shown in Fig. 1.

In its structural arrangement, my invention comprises a carrier 1, in the nature of a shallow rectangular shaped box and the top 2 of which is removably mounted on the sides 3 of the box, the bottom 4 of which has a.fluid pipe opening 40. At the opposite sides, the bottom has "integral flanges that form guides 5, and for some distance between the guides and the side walls 3, the

bottom has longitudinal slots 6.

77 designate oppositely disposed rack bars, the rack faces of which extend over and ride upon the guides 5 and the shanks 70-70 of which extend down through and are slidable in the slots 6, as is shown in Figs. 2 and 4. Cooperating with each rack bar 7 is a brush or scouring element 8, that consists of a rectangular frame 80 having a receptacle 81 for receiving the head 90 of the brush 9. The frames 80 are fastened at their outer edge to the under side of the shanks 70 of the bars 7 and they have their inner edges formed with flanges 84 for riding in grooved guides 82 in a central pendent member 41 on the carrier bottom 4, see Fig. 4. The brushes being taken from common stock, need only be inserted in the receptacles 81, the thumb screw 85 tightened and the device is ready for use.

10 designates a horizontally rockable double segment gear, the opposite faces of which mesh with. the racks 7, it being understood that the oscillatory motion of the gear 10 imparts alternate reciprocating motion to the rack bars 7,1'and in consequence the brushes move in rectilinear relation, and

mesh with the gear 11 are provided, and the car 12 is equipped with a wrist or crank pin 13 that extends up into and. plays in a longitudinal slot 14 in the gear 10.

15' designates a handle integral with or fixedly connected to-the top 2 for manipulating the'apparatus.

Referring now more particularly .to Figs. 4, and 6 of the drawings, it will be noticed the driving gear 11 is mounted on a shaft section 16 that extends up into the tubular vertical extension 20 of the top 2,, the lower end of which is closed by a detachable plug 21 apertured for the passage of the shaft 16. l7 designates another. shaft section .motion is transmitted from the drive to the brushes: "On the handle 15* journaled in the upper end of the extension 20, the upper end of which connects with the flexible drive 22, driven in the usual manner, see Fig. 1. The lower end of the shaft 17 a terminates in a clutch 18 for cooperatingwith a 'slidable clutch member 19 that has a the brushes. When the clutch 19 ismoved downwardly, the connection between the shaft members 16 and 17 is broken and no flexible mounted a lever 85 normally moved so its inner end 36 is depressed by a spring-37. The inner end of the lever is bifurcated so as to straddle the sliding clutch 19,, it having studs 38 for engaging an annular groove 39 in the same clutch 19, as is best shown in Fig. 2, from which it is clear that under normal conditions the clutch 19 is down and disengaged from the shaft sections 17. It will also be noticed in the said Fig. 2 and Fig. 5, the extension 20 has an elongated slot 455 atone side for the passage of the lever end 36, and a like slot 46 at the opposite side in which moves a link 65 pivoted at its lower end to a stud 66 on the sliding clutch 19 and pivot-ally joinedat the crank 67 of a rotary valve 68 mounted in the feed pipe 69 that discharges through the carrier top and connects with a flexible pipe section 71 connected with an overhead reservoir .72

, that contains the scouringfluid, such are rangement of parts providing for simulta neously cut-ting out the scouring fluid feed when the brushes are disconnected from the flexible drive and to open the fluid feed when the said brushes are being operated by the said flexible drive.

' From the foregoing description taken 6 with the drawings, -thecomplete arrangement, the manner in which the apparatus is operated and its. advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which my invention relates. Since the brushes are power-driven much quicker and better work is accomplished than by the usual hand scrubbing means, and since the soap and water is automatically fed to the brushes scrubbed, the feed l v the operators hands are not water soaked, as is usual. Furthermore so soon as the operator lets go the brush carrier forasseinbling or arrangin V the garment being 0% the scouring agent and the motion to the'brushes is instantly cut out;-it being obvious that in picking 119 -12118 carrier the operator in squeezing the handle 1 lever connects the-brushes with the power' devices and opens thevalve in the fluid feed. lVhile the details described and shown, set

out a convenient structure, it is apparent they may be readily. modified or varied without departing from the invention or the scope of the appended claims:

What I claim is:

1. Aj-brushing and scrubbing tool, com.- d I prising a carrier movable over the article being scrubbed, a brush mounted on and reciprocably movable on'the carrler, a continufor actuating the brush as it moved over the work, and another means for feeding. a scouring fluid to the brush as the brush is moved over the work, a valve for controlling said fluid feed, and a singlede'vioe toroper- "ating both said valve and'said clutch.

2. An apparatus qf the character de' scribed, comprising a carrier movable over the article being scrubbed, a brush mountedand reciprocably movable on the carrier, 9. continuous driving-means for actuating the ous driving means including a clutch device brushas it is moved over the work, another means for feeding a scouring fluid to the brush as the brush is moved over the work, the said other means including a delivery pipe that connects with the carrierand is movable therewith, and further means including a single operating device on the carrier for cutting out the driving means and the fluid feed.

3. A scouring' and cleaning means com-' ,prlslng a carrier movable over the article worked upon, power operated brushes reciprocably mounted on p the carrier, and means separate from the power mechanism thereto during theyoperation of brushing and cleaning together with a single controL" ling device for simultaneously controlling for constantly feeding a scouring solution 1 the operation of the brushes and of the scouringsolution feedin means.

' 4. A scouring; and c caning means comprising a carrier having a handle for moving it over the article being operated on, brushes reciprocably mounted. 5 on the carrier, means or operating 7 the brushes, said means includi a clutch for controlling the transmission o the power to the'brushes, a

means for constantly feeding the scouring solution to the brushes, said feeding means including a valved delivery pipe mounted on the carrler and alever on the handle con nected with the clutchand' the valve said pipe for shifting the clutch toxrelease the brushes from the powerand Simultaneously close the valve in the delivery pipe to cut off the scouring solution feed;

ing a handle .for moving .it over the article being worked upon, brushing and fluid feeding devices on the carrier and movable therewith, power mechanism for imparting movement to the brushes independent ofthe carrier movement and .hand controlled mechanism on the carrier for throwing out of operation the power mechanism and the fluid feeding dev1ces,' said fluid feeding devices being separate from the power mechanism. n

6. A scouring and cleaning means of the character stated comprising a carrier having a handle for moving it over the article being worked, upon, brushing and fluid feeding devices on the carrier and movable therewith, mechanism for imparting movement to the brushes independent of the carrier move- 'ment', hand controlled mechanism on the carrier for throwing out of operation the power mechanism and the fluid feeding devices, said hand controlled mechanism including a rotary'valve in the fluid feeding devices, a shifting clutch in the power mechanism, a spring pressed lever device that simultaneously shifts the clutch and the valve in one direction, andunder manual manipulation simultaneously shifts the clutch and the valve inthe opposite direction. a

7. A scouring and cleaning means comprising a'carrler-movable over the article worked upon, brushes reciprocably mounted i on said carrier, mechanically actuated power mechanism for operating said brushes, controlling means for said power mechanism, means separate from said power mechanism for constantly feeding a scouring solution to the work during the operation of brushing and cleaning, and a controlling means separate from said power mechanism for con-' trolling the operation of said scourin solution feeding means, and a single devlce for operating said power controlling means and said controlling means for said solution feeding means.

ADOLF wQ FIETZ.

Witnesses BERTHA EVANS, R. T. One. 

